46 Notable alumni of
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach
Updated:
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach is 1389th in the world, 493rd in North America, and 462nd in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 46 notable alumni from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Michael Durant
- Occupations
- entrepreneurhelicopter pilotwriter
- Biography
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Michael John Durant is an American veteran, former pilot, businessman, author, and political candidate. He was involved in the "Black Hawk Down" incident while serving as a U.S. Army pilot, and ran unsuccessfully in the Republican primary for the 2022 United States Senate election in Alabama.
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Jared Isaacman
- Occupations
- business executiveastronautaerobatics pilot
- Biography
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Jared Isaacman is an American entrepreneur, pilot, philanthropist, and commercial astronaut. He is the founder of Draken International, a private air force provider and the founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments, a payment processor. As of February 2023, his estimated net worth is US$2 billion.
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Scott O'Grady
- Occupations
- military officeraircraft pilot
- Biography
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Scott Francis O'Grady is a former United States Air Force fighter pilot. On June 2, 1995, he was shot down over Bosnia and Herzegovina by a 2K12 Kub (NATO designation SA-6 "Gainful") mobile SAM launcher and forced to eject from his F-16C into hostile territory. US Marines from heavy-helicopter squadron HMH-464 and the 24 MEU(SOC) on AC number 21 eventually rescued O'Grady after nearly a week of his evading the Bosnian Serbs. He was previously involved in the Banja Luka incident where he fired upon six enemy aircraft. The 2001 film Behind Enemy Lines is loosely based upon his experiences.
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Charles Q. Brown Jr
- Occupations
- air force officer
- Biography
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Charles Quinton Brown Jr. is a United States Air Force general who has served as the 21st chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff since October 1, 2023. Prior to his appointment, Brown served as the 22nd chief of staff of the Air Force from 2020 to 2023. Brown entered the Air Force in 1984 and served as a fighter pilot, where he has logged over 3,000 flight hours, including 130 hours in combat. He has commanded the Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, 31st Fighter Wing, 8th Fighter Wing, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, and 78th Fighter Squadron. He has also served as deputy commander of the U.S. Central Command.
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Jerry Doyle
- Occupations
- television actorradio personalityactorfilm actorvoice actor
- Biography
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Jerry Doyle was an American talk radio host, political commentator, television actor and founder of the content platform EpicTimes. His nationally syndicated talk show, The Jerry Doyle Show, aired throughout the United States on Talk Radio Network. As an actor, Doyle was best known as security chief Michael Garibaldi in the science fiction series Babylon 5 (1994–1998).
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Jake Pavelka
- Occupations
- aerospace engineermodelplayer of American footballactoraircraft pilot
- Biography
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Jacob Lynn "Jake" Pavelka is an American television personality, pilot, actor, and model who appeared on six reality TV programs, most notably The Bachelor. He is also the CEO of the company "Rhino Removal".
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Nicole Stott
- Enrolled in Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach
- In 1987 graduated with Bachelor of Science
- Occupations
- engineerastronaut
- Biography
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Nicole Marie Passonno Stott is an American engineer and a retired NASA astronaut. She served as a flight engineer on ISS Expedition 20 and Expedition 21 and was a mission specialist on STS-128 and STS-133. After 27 years of working at NASA, the space agency announced her retirement effective June 1, 2015. She is married to Christopher Stott, a Manx-born American space entrepreneur.
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JoAnne S. Bass
- Born in
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United States - Enrolled in Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach
- Graduated with Bachelor of Science
- Occupations
- enlisted person
- Biography
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JoAnne S. Bass is a senior noncommissioned officer in the United States Air Force and the nineteenth Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. She became the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, and the first female to hold the highest senior enlisted rank in any United States military branch, on August 14, 2020, having been selected for the position on June 19. She is also the first person of Asian-American descent to hold the highest senior enlisted position in the Air Force. At the time of her selection, she was the Second Air Force's Command Chief Master Sergeant at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi, which she had reported to in July 2018. Air Force News reported "incoming Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown said Bass brings skills, temperament and experience that the job requires and an outlook on leadership that meshes with his own", and that he "could not be more excited to work side-by-side with Chief Bass."
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Vicente Gonzalez
- Enrolled in Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach
- In 1992 graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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Vicente Gonzalez Jr. is an American lawyer and politician who serves as the United States representative for Texas's 34th congressional district since 2023 and served as the representative for Texas's 15th congressional district from 2017 to 2023. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
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Greg Feith
- Years
- 1957-.. (age 67)
- Occupations
- engineer
- Biography
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Gregory Allen Feith is an American former Senior Air Safety Investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board. He currently works as a consultant on aviation safety and security matters in the private sector, and as the aviation expert for NBC and MSNBC. He also serves as the technical advisor in a number of television programs such as Mayday (also known as Air Disasters in the United States and Air Crash Investigation in other parts of the world), Seconds From Disaster, and Why Planes Crash while maintaining a busy speaking schedule.
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Terry W. Virts
- Occupations
- astronautTrekkiemilitary officer
- Biography
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Terry W. Virts is a retired NASA astronaut, International Space Station Commander and colonel in the United States Air Force.
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Erik Lindbergh
- Years
- 1965-.. (age 59)
- Occupations
- adventureroratoraircraft pilotartist
- Biography
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Erik Robbins Lindbergh is an American aviator, adventurer, and artist. He is the grandson of pioneering aviator Charles Lindbergh, the first person to fly non-stop and solo between New York and Paris in 1927. In 2002, Erik Lindbergh honored the 75th anniversary of his grandfather's historic flight by retracing the journey in a single-engine Lancair aircraft. The journey was documented by the History Channel, raised over one million dollars for three charities, garnered half a billion media impressions for the X PRIZE Foundation and helped to jump-start the private Spaceflight industry. The flight prompted a call from United States President George W. Bush for inspiring the country after the tragedy of September 11.
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Marc H. Sasseville
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Marc Henry Sasseville Frontera is a United States Air Force lieutenant general who currently serves as the 12th Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau. He previously served as the commander of the Continental United States North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and concurrently as commander of the First Air Force (Air Forces Northern) from June 2019 to August 2020. Sasseville previously served as commander of the 113th Wing, District of Columbia Air National Guard at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland and was the first Hispanic American to hold the position. On September 11, 2001, Sasseville was the acting operations group commander under the 113th Wing of the D.C. Air National Guard. He was one of four pilots given the mission of finding United Airlines Flight 93 during the September 11 attacks and destroying it, even if it meant ramming the aircraft. He also served as the Senior Defense Official/Defense Attache, Turkey, United States European Command, Ankara, Turkey. He assumed his current assignment in August 2020.
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Jeffrey L. Harrigian
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Jeffrey Lee Harrigian is a retired United States Air Force general who last served as the commander of United States Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa from May 2020 to June 2022. He concurrently served as the commander of Allied Air Command and director of the Joint Air Power Competence Center. He previously served as deputy commander and as commander of United States Air Forces Central Command. Raised in Sparks, Nevada, he graduated from the United States Air Force Academy with a degree in International Affairs and was commissioned in 1985. He assumed his capstone assignment on May 1, 2019.
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Darren W. McDew
- Enrolled in Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach
- Graduated with Master of Science
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Darren Wayne McDew is a retired United States Air Force general who served as the Commander of United States Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. His previous senior command positions include Commander of Air Mobility Command as a general and Commander, Eighteenth Air Force (18AF) as a lieutenant general. In March, 2019, soon after General McDew's retirement, United States Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao named him as Co-Chair of the Special Committee to Review the Federal Aviation Administration's Aircraft Certification Process. According to a letter from Secretary Chao, the Special Committee is "specifically tasked to review the 737 MAX 800 certification process from 2012 to 2017."
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Daniel C. Burbank
- Occupations
- astronautengineermilitary officer
- Biography
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Daniel Christopher Burbank is a retired American astronaut and a veteran of two Space Shuttle missions. Burbank, a Captain in the United States Coast Guard, is the second Coast Guard astronaut after Bruce Melnick.
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Scott Franklin
- Occupations
- politicianmilitary personnel
- Biography
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Clifford Scott Franklin is an American politician and businessman who has served in the United States House of Representatives since 2021. He represented Florida's 15th congressional district from 2021 to 2023, and has represented Florida's 18th district since 2023. He is a member of the Republican Party.
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Joshua Kutryk
- Occupations
- astronautengineertest pilotairman
- Biography
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Joshua Kutryk is a Canadian astronaut, fighter pilot and engineer. He was selected by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) one of the two members of the 2017 CSA Group alongside Jenni Sidey.
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Susan Kilrain
- Occupations
- astronautengineertest pilotUnited States Naval Aviator
- Biography
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Susan Kilrain is an American aerospace engineer, former United States Navy officer, and a former NASA astronaut. She is the youngest person to pilot a Space Shuttle. She has flown more than 3,000 hours and among her merits she was awarded with the Defense Superior Service Medal.
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Timothy Ray
- Occupations
- military leader
- Biography
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Timothy Michael Ray is a retired United States Air Force general who last served as the commander of Air Force Global Strike Command from August 21, 2018, to August 27, 2021. He concurrently served as the commander of Air Forces Strategic – Air, United States Strategic Command. His two previous assignments were as the Deputy Commander, United States European Command, and as the Commander, Third Air Force. He previously served as the director of global power programs in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters United States Air Force, Washington, D.C.
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Moriba Jah
- Occupations
- aerospace engineerengineer
- Biography
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Moriba Kemessia Jah CorrFRSE is an American space scientist and aerospace engineer who describes himself as a "space environmentalist", specializing in orbit determination and prediction, especially as related to space situational awareness and space traffic monitoring. He is currently an associate professor of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at the University of Texas at Austin. Jah previously worked as a spacecraft navigator at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he was a navigator for the Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Odyssey, Mars Express, Mars Exploration Rover, and his last mission was the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. He is a Fellow of the American Astronautical Society, the Air Force Research Laboratory, the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety and, the Royal Astronomical Society. Jah was also selected into the 10th anniversary class of TED Fellows and was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2022. He also was selected into the AIAA class of Fellows and Honorary Fellows in the year of the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11. The AIAA "confers the distinction of Fellow upon individuals in recognition of their notable and valuable contributions to the arts, sciences or technology of aeronautics and astronautics."
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Alvin Drew
- Occupations
- military officerastronaut
- Biography
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Benjamin Alvin Drew is a United States Air Force officer and a former NASA astronaut. He has been on two spaceflights; the first was the Space Shuttle mission STS-118 to the International Space Station, in August 2007. Drew's second spaceflight took place in March 2011 on STS-133, another mission to the International Space Station. STS-133 was Space Shuttle Discovery's final mission. Drew took part in two spacewalks while docked to the station. Drew was the final African-American to fly on board a Space Shuttle, as the final two Space Shuttle missions, STS-134 and STS-135, had no African-American crew members.
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Ronald J. Garan
- Occupations
- astronautengineerfighter pilotmilitary officer
- Biography
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Ronald John Garan Jr. is a retired NASA astronaut. After graduating from State University of New York College at Oneonta in 1982, he joined the Air Force, becoming a Second Lieutenant in 1984. He became an F-16 pilot, and flew combat missions in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Before becoming an astronaut he was the Operations Officer of the 40th Flight Test Squadron (FTS). He first flew in space as a mission specialist on the May 2008 STS-124 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). He returned to ISS on April 4, 2011, for a six-month stay as a member of Expedition 27. Garan is a highly decorated former NASA astronaut who flew on the US Space Shuttle, Russian Soyuz, and International Space Station. In total he spent 178 days in space and more than 71 million miles in 2,842 orbits of Earth, 27 hours and 3 minutes of EVA in four spacewalks, and 18 days on the bottom of the ocean during the NEEMO-9 undersea mission.
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Merryl Tengesdal
- Years
- 1971-.. (age 53)
- Occupations
- military officerhelicopter pilot
- Biography
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Merryl Tengesdal is an American retired career military officer who is the first and only Black woman to fly the United States Air Force's U-2 spy plane used for specialized high-altitude reconnaissance missions. She is one of five women and only the fourth Black person (in 2004) to be in the U-2 program. She shares the plane's nickname, The Dragon Lady.
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Margaret H. Woodward
- Years
- 1960-.. (age 64)
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Margaret H. Woodward is an American former military officer and major general in the United States Air Force.
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Robert L. Sumwalt
- Occupations
- aircraft pilot
- Biography
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Robert Llewellyn Sumwalt III is an American academic, aviator, government official and writer. He was a board member of the National Transportation Safety Board for over 15 years, from August 2006 to June 30, 2021, serving as the agency's chairman from 2017 to 2021. He currently serves as the executive director of Embry-Riddle's Boeing Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety.
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Nick Mingione
- Biography
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Nick Mingione is a baseball coach and former outfielder, who is the current the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats. He played college baseball at Embry–Riddle University for coach Greg Guilliams from 1997 to 2000.
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Amber S. Gell
- Occupations
- aerospace engineer
- Biography
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Amber S. Gell is an American program manager, former engineer and scientist, and STEM education advocate who specializes in human performance in extreme environments. A Milwaukee, Wisconsin native, she currently works for Lockheed Martin as a Program Manager. She has won awards for her accomplishments in space systems and educational outreach, including the 2010 Early Career Rotary National Award for Space Achievement and the 2013 Adler Planetarium Women in Space Science Award. She has a degree in aerospace engineering and business, and physiology (Fitness), and is also a certified group fitness instructor, Wilderness First Responder (WFR), Master Scuba Diver. Amber was also a member of the Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University Mathematics Industry Advisory Board
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Shaesta Waiz
- Years
- 1987-.. (age 37)
- Occupations
- aircraft pilot
- Biography
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Shaesta Waiz is an American aviator. She is the first female certified civilian pilot born in Afghanistan, and in 2017, became the youngest woman to fly solo around the world in a single-engine aircraft - a record she held until Zara Rutherford completed the flight at the age of 19 in January, 2022.
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Landon Ashworth
- Occupations
- producerfilm directortelevision actorscreenwriteraircraft pilot
- Biography
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Landon Ashworth is an American actor, producer, television, movie and musical writer, film and commercial director, pilot, and golfer. Landon is a graduate of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.
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Jack Weinstein
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Jack Weinstein is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Air Force. His final post was as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters U. S. Air Force, Washington D.C. In this capacity, Weinstein was responsible to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force for focus on Nuclear Deterrence Operations. Previously he was Commander, Twentieth Air Force, part of the Air Force Global Strike Command, and Commander, Task Force 214, part of the U.S. Strategic Command, at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, in Wyoming.
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Alvin B. Jackson
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Alvin B. Jackson is a former Republican Senator for Utah State's 14th district. He was appointed by Governor Gary Herbert to fill a vacant seat caused by the resignation of John Valentine, who resigned to head the Utah Tax Commission. He resigned in July 2016 to take a job out of state, and was replaced by another appointee, Daniel Hemmert.
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Fred Strahorn
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Frederick W. Strahorn is an American Democratic politician who served in the Ohio House of Representatives, representing the 39th District, which consists of much of Dayton, Ohio. He served as the Minority Leader for the 131st Ohio General Assembly and 132nd Ohio General Assembly.
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John Currier
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Vice Admiral John P. Currier was the 28th Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard. He assumed the position from Vice Admiral Sally Brice-O'Hara on May 18, 2012 and was relieved on May 20, 2014 by Vice Admiral Peter Neffenger.
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Clyde Vanel
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Clyde Vanel is an intellectual property attorney and entrepreneur serving as the assembly member for the 33rd district of the New York State Assembly. A Democrat, he is the chair of the Committee on Oversight, Analysis & Investigation and Chair of the Subcommittee on Internet & New Technologies. The district includes Cambria Heights, St. Albans, Hollis, Queens Village, Bellerose and parts of Floral Park in Queens.
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John Ragan
- Years
- 1948-.. (age 76)
- Occupations
- military officerpolitician
- Biography
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John D. Ragan Jr. is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, for the 33rd District, encompassing parts of Anderson County, Tennessee.
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Kraig Paulsen
- Occupations
- politicianspeaker
- Biography
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Kraig Paulsen is an American attorney and politician who served as a member of the Iowa House of Representatives from 2003 to 2017 and as speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015.
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Anthony J. Rock
- Years
- 1959-.. (age 65)
- Occupations
- military leader
- Biography
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Anthony James Rock is a lieutenant general of the U.S. Air Force and last served as the Inspector General of the Air Force assigned within the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.
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Gregory A. Biscone
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Gregory A. Biscone is a retired lieutenant general of the U.S. Air Force. He last served as the Inspector General of the Air Force assigned within the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C., and retired on 1 July 2016.
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Domingo DeGrazia
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Domingo DeGrazia is an attorney from the Southwest United States. He practices appellate law, is a guitarist and music composer, and former member of the Arizona House of Representatives representing District 10 from 2019 to 2023. DeGrazia was elected in 2018, defeating incumbent Republican State Representative Todd Clodfelter. DeGrazia is a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians through his mother. DeGrazia's father is Southwestern artist Ettore DeGrazia.
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John I. Pray
- Years
- 1959-.. (age 65)
- Enrolled in Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach
- Graduated with Master of Science in aeronautical science
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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John Irving Pray Jr., Brig Gen, USAF is the Chief Executive Officer and President of Operation Homefront. He was appointed to the position on May 18, 2015. Prior to joining Operation Homefront, he was the Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff for the USO.
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Robertus Remkes
- Years
- 1955-.. (age 69)
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Major General Robertus Carolus Nicolaa Remkes is Director, Strategy, Policy and Assessments, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany. As Director of Strategy, Plans and Policy, he is responsible for formulation and staff direction of the execution of basic military and political policy, as well as planning for command activities involving relations with other U.S. Unified Commands, allied military and international military organizations and subordinate commands. He also serves as Director of Capabilities and Assessments. In this capacity he is responsible for the development of force structure requirements; conducting studies, analyses and assessments; and for evaluating military forces, plans, programs and strategies.
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Richard D. Heinz
- Years
- 1967-.. (age 57)
- Enrolled in Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach
- Graduated with Master of Business Administration
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Richard Duke Heinz is a retired United States Navy rear admiral who last served as the director of logistics of the United States European Command.
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Jeffrey B. Cashman
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Jeffrey B. Cashman is a brigadier general in the Air National Guard.
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Donna L. Cottrell
- Enrolled in Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach
- Graduated with Master of Science in aeronautical science
- Occupations
- military officerhelicopter pilot
- Biography
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Donna L. Cottrell is a retired United States Coast Guard rear admiral who last served as the Coast Guard District 9 Commander. In this role, she served as the senior Commander for the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence Seaway, an area that covers eight states. The Area of Operations for the command accumulates over 6,700 miles of shoreline and 1,500 miles of international shoreline with Canada. In addition, she previously oversaw the service level command, Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron out of Jacksonville, FL.
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Dan Carter
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Daniel E. Carter is an American politician from Connecticut. A Republican, he was elected to his first term in the Connecticut House of Representatives in November 2010, representing the state's second district in Bethel, Danbury and Redding. Following redistricting, in 2012 Newtown was added to the second district when Carter won a second term. He was the Republican Party nominee in the 2016 U.S. Senate election in Connecticut, losing to incumbent Democrat Richard Blumenthal. He currently serves as the first selectman of the town of Bethel.
